


Rowaelin Fanfiction: Training

by iheart_my_fandoms



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 10:36:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10638120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iheart_my_fandoms/pseuds/iheart_my_fandoms
Summary: Aelin and Rowan have been through the war, but in this story, they never got together. In this, they want to be together and they can think of one way to make that happen: Make the other jealous.





	1. Training

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

“Go flirt, that’s why we came isn’t it?” Lysandra asked with a wink.

“No, we came here to train. Flirting was not what I signed up for.” Aelin and her friend had decided to go train in the public square that morning to seek out the best competition. They knew that no one had a chance against Aelin, but she wanted to see how long one could last against her. All the same, there were many desirable males in the square and not one failed to eye Aelin, and she knew too well that they were not checking out their competition, but a female whom they took a liking to.

The long-lost queen would have looked for a suitor if not for the fact that she was already attempting to pursue one back at court.

Rowan Whitethorn was a male that the queen had wanted since their days in Wendlyn. He had been assigned to train her and they formed a monumental friendship, but that was it. A friendship. The war had become too intense for a proper relationship and when the war was won, they had to rebuild. Rebuild Terrasen, rebuild her court. All she wanted was him to want her, but she had much doubt that he would forever see her as a friend, the fae who helped heal him, the best friend a male could ask for.

“Aelin, I know Whitethorn is on your mind, and we both know this isn’t new. You’re miserable, go take your pick to cheer you up.” Lysandra hated her feelings towards Rowan, she feared it could only ruin Aelin, she was not far from wrong.

She didn’t want just anyone to cheer her up, but she knew that Lysandra would never stop nagging her unless she found someone in that square. “Fine,” her tone was anything but friendly, but Lysandra was not new to that.

She examined the males eyeing her and landed on a particularly muscular pick. He looked like he had fought a million battles, in a good way. Like he was strong but sensitive, strict but fun, tough but breakable. He looked like Rowan.

She pranced towards him, ignoring everyone else that googled at her. “Hello.” She said the first words but she could see his mind racing with things to say back.

“H—how—Hello.” He looked astonished that she had decided to even look at him. “Your majesty,” he stammered.

“Please, call me Aelin. Formal titles become tiring after some time. And what can I call you?”

“Yes, Aelin, you can call me Nikoles.”

“Nikoles, would you like to fight?”

The male seemed shocked that a female, a queen would want to fight anyone, let alone him. “Don’t fear me. Get up, fight me.”

Nikoles rose from his seat and walked with his queen to a ring, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.

Rowan woke up late in the day seeing as he was up far too late waiting up for his queen. She tended to leave the castle when the sun set with her ladies and didn’t return until well into the night. Maybe it wasn’t his place to wait up for her, make sure she was okay, but he wanted it to be, he wanted to be the one that checked up on her and made sure she wasn’t hurt. He wanted that more than he had ever wanted anything in his life.

He went down to the dining hall after he woke up to find most of his cadre gossiping about the reconstruction in the city. “It’s going as well as it can so soon after the war.” Gavriel said as he shoveled meat into his mouth. He wasn’t wrong, the whole world had suffered greatly during the war against the Valg. Terrasen maybe suffered most of all because it was where most of the war was fought. “Rise and shine, Whitethorn,” Fenrys said.

“Where is Aelin?”

“She went to train in the main square with Lysandra. Why?” If there was anyone who could tell you everything about the queen besides Rowan, it was Aedion. He had never stopped trying to protect her since the day they were reunited, not that she needed anyone’s protection.

“Will you be joining them?”

“How did you know.”

“You are the equal to my cousin’s shadow, of course you’re joining her.”

He had loved the queen from the day he carried her to the healers in Wendlyn. The burnout was very eye opening for him, and he had never looked at her the same after it. He knew, however, that she could never feel the same about him, for he was a queen and he was just her mentor from her days before she claimed her throne. He was simply a brother in her eyes, but that didn’t stop him from wanting her. Every waking moment he wanted her. He wanted her in his arms, he wanted her smile all to himself.

“Don’t get annoying, Rowan. It’s about time you give her space.”

“She doesn’t need space.”

“Yes, she does. After Ma—her, she needs space.”

Maybe the male was right, but he didn’t want to believe it. He had acted as her friend during those months after her rescue, he knew everything she had been through which gave him all the more reason to kill that Bitch slower. He had spread the torture of weeks, she had begged for death. Her wish was his command.

“Well, at least have fun.”

He nodded and walked out the door. The grounds surrounding the castle were truly beautiful, they were an endless green, the gardens blossoming with flowers of every color. Rowan had stopped many times to examine the beauty that he could call his home, but he did not stop that particular day. Gods knew how long she had been at the square. Anything could have happened.

The square was filled with faes. With males. He smelled them before he saw them. They were al surrounding one specific fighting ring and with Aelin no where in sight, Rowan rushed to the ring. Sure enough, there was Aelin fighting a quite large male. His Aelin punching and ducking. No, not his Aelin. Not his anything.

“Why must you follow her everywhere?” He turned to find the Shapeshifter standing next to him. “Why must you allow her to do such dangerous things?”

“Please, this is anything but dangerous. Our queen can kill every Fae in this square. This is the safest activity she can do that she will actually enjoy.”

“She can still get hurt,” Rowan pushed.

“You know better than anyone that she has been hurt by a lot worse than a few punches. This is nothing.”

Rowan couldn’t argue with the shifter’s logic, but it still didn’t rest well with him. “Who is the male she’s beating to a pulp, anyway?”

Aelin was dodging every punch the male threw, yet he could not do the same with hers. His face was already visibly bruised and blood was lurking over his cheek. He showed no signs of stopping, though. His pride was far too built to be beat by a woman, but would it not be an honor to be beaten by his queen.

“Nikoles. They just met. She seems to have taken a liking to him. Aelin doesn’t challenge just anyone, you know.”

“How much of a liking?”

“Why do you care?”

Rowan could never tell Lysandra. She would only go off and tell Aelin which could only mean the end of their friendship. It would ruin everything.

Rowan turned his head to find Aelin and Nikoles laughing hysterically as they stepped out of the ring. The laughter showed no signs of stopping as he said distractedly, “I was just wondering. Who knows what a male will do to bed a queen.”

“Aelin is far too careful to bed the first male she sees. You know that.” And he did. She hadn’t brought a buddy to bed since they met, he thought on many occasions that she was lonely, even he had taken females to bed on nights that he tried not to think about. He would pretend the Fae was Aelin, that they were together and the relations would last longer than a night.

Rowan made his way over to Aelin and the male, just to have a word.

“Hello. I’m Rowan.” His tone was harsh toward the male called Nikoles and his queen heard it too. “Nikoles.” The male said, unfazed by the bred warrior.

“And I take it you’ve met the Queen.”

“Yes, Aelin and I met just hours ago.”

Rowan attempted to hide his frown, but failed miserably. First name basis it was then. “Leave us be, Rowan.” Aelin’s voice was cold, the words were meant to cut like a knife. That they did.

Rowan walked away before hearing Aelin laugh flirtatiously at Nikoles. He walked to a group of women watching the training session, he needed to take his mind off of the situation. His eyes drifted to a specific woman with bright blue eyes and golden blonde hair. “Hello, may I ask your name?”

“They call me Cathryne, and what do they call you?”

“Rowan.”

She looked like she had fought a million internal battles, in a good way, scared but willing, strong but sensitive, ready but guarded. She looked like Aelin.


	2. See you at Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealousy.

Lysandra watched helplessly as her best friend flirted awfully with Nikoles. She hadn’t been with a male since Chaol, as far as she knew. Aelin was good at a lot of things, fighting, killing, eating, reading, lighting things on fire, but she was not good at flirting. It pained Lysandra to watch the catastrophe that was her friend playing with a male’s emotions.   
The touches that should have been soft and deliberate were rough and accidental. The hair flips that should have been sexy and seductive were lazy and uncalculated. It was a good thing she was the Queen. Rowan, on the othe r hand, was amazing at the game of flirting. The women he was talking to was totally smitten with him. She was hanging on to his every word. Lysandra was disgusted with Rowan. Had he come there just to find a lover? The thought disgusted the shapeshifter.   
She went over to her Queen and whispered in her ear, “You have fun, not too much though. I’m going to head home, there’s nothing for me here.” It was true. She was perfectly happy with the male she had. Aedion Ashryver was perfect in every way a male could be. He was brave, kind, strong, among… Other things. The square was filled to the rim with desirable males that seemed to take an interest in her, but she could never find any interest in them.   
“I’ll be home soon,” Aelin said with a wink.   
Lysandra wanted Aelin to have someone, and Nikoles didn’t seem half bad, but she could have picked up someone better. She headed back to the castle with a sigh. 

Aelin smiled weakly, wanting to go home desperately. Nikoles was interesting, but he was no Rowan. She turned to see if she could still catch up with Lysandra, any way to leave the male was one she would gladly take. Her eyes landed on Rowan when her friend shifted out of view. The male was flirting endlessly with a woman, a beautiful one at that. Jealousy rippled through Aelin’s body and she decided, in less than an instant, that she would stay with Nikoles. Maybe she could get Rowan jealous as well. What a show that would be.   
“Don’t mind by my asking, but would you like to come to dinner with me and my court?” It only hurt a little to say.   
“You mean… At your c—at your— “  
“My castle, yes. Don’t be intimated, please. My friends are wonderful and I’m sure they will love you.”  
“I don’t… I don’t know.”  
“Please?” Aelin twirled her hair and flipped it over her shoulder seductively. She batted her eyes and played with her hands.   
“Why not.” The male said, partially out of fear. Who was he to turn down the Queen of Terrasen?   
Aelin smiled as he took Nikoles’ hand and dragged him to the edge of the square, to where Rowan was.   
“Rowan, dinner will be ready soon back at Court, we should get going.”  
“I’ll be there in time, don’t worry.” He said without taking his eyes off the woman he seemed so enthralled with. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was golden blonde. Aelin saw some of herself in the woman, but hoped she was nothing like her, personality wise. She had to have been a slut, a gold digger, if she was so smitten so fast with Rowan. He was widely known across the lands, he was part of the Queen’s court. Any life with him was sure to be one full of luxury.   
“Fine, but you should know, Nikoles will be joining us.” Her hand found the Male’s and she made sure Rowan saw they were joined. “Very well. Cathryne will also eat with us, if that is okay with you, Your Majesty.”  
The words cut like a knife, as they were intended to. He knew that she hated such a title from those close to her. It meant that they weren’t friends, that he was no more than her subject, no real relationship attached. “Yes, she may join us.” Those words sliced her heart in two, but she had been trained to hide pain, to hide heartbreak. “Then I will see you then.”   
Aelin’s eyes lingered on Rowan far longer than they should have, the conversation was over. But his eyes were so green, so gorgeous against his skin. His muscles were bulging from his shirt and it took everything in her not to start drooling. “Please leave us be.” The fae male said when they had not left.  
She couldn’t believe how insensitive he was being. They joked often and offended each other lightly, but never like that. His tone was never that cold. “See you at home.” She did what she could to make her tone eight times colder than Rowan’s.   
“He seems… Nice.” Nikoles said as they walked down a winding road to the castle. “He’s something, that’s for sure.”  
“You two are obviously close, you did choose him to be a part of your court, did you not?”  
Aelin cringed, she really was not enjoying her time and the last thing she wanted to do was talk about Rowan. “Yes, he was loyal to me during the war despite a lot of things.” But it was so much more than that. He helped her heal from the pain of the past, he helped her accept herself her true self. When the war became impossible, he still fought with her, still stood by her. When everyone in the world was betting against her, he stayed. No one had ever done that before. No one had ever stayed.   
“Well, then he must be much better than he seems.”  
“Some would say.” It didn’t matter that she was burning with jealousy over Rowan and Cathryne, because despite who he chose to take to bed he was still the male who she fell in love with, he was still the male he was during the war. Brave, cunning, attractive, willing and loyal. He was still an ass in that moment, however. “Do you have many like him in your court?”   
Aelin frowned, he knew the answer. Everyone, whether they were from Adarlan, Terrassen or Ellywe, knew those whom she chose to be in her court. They knew her picks even before the wat ended. “Yes, in fact, most of those in my court are like him in many ways.” Except one. She never loved anyone in her court the way she loved Rowan. A burning, aching love, one that she doubted would ever be resolved. She would be left aching and burning for Rowan for all of eternity. 

Rowan still felt the tang of pain from when he told Aelin to leave. He told himself he would never block her out, never in a million years would he take advantage of her presence, and he had just done that. Maybe it was about time he did that, though. In some sense, he was proving to himself that he could live without her. If he could push her away, then maybe he could come to terms with the fact that he would never be able to keep her close.   
“Rowan? Did you hear me?” Cathryne snapped him out of his thoughts. She was truly a lovely sight, but none could compare to his Fireheart.   
“No, I’m sorry.”  
“I asked how long you have known Queen Aelin.”  
Queen Aelin. What a strange term, Rowan supposed that was her widely known title, but still how weird it was to hear. Like Your Majesty. Rowan wanted to slap himself right then and there for his own stupidity, but he was trying to make a good lasting impression on the woman in front of him. The way he’d said the words, too. So, cold, so meaningless.   
“Awhile.” Since before she was even called Aelin, since before she could control her magic. Rowan had known Aelin since before she was Queen Aelin.   
Her eyes fell to the ground, unsatisfied with his answer. “You two are obviously very good friends.”  
“Some would say. Shall we head back to the castle?”  
“Why not,” she said with much enthusiasm.   
He wanted more than an anything to tell this woman not to come to dinner, but he needed someone to refute that Nikoles Aelin would be bringing. Rowan was burning with jealousy, it was something he never really felt before because Aelin rarely brought another male around. It scared him, he felt like he would kill Nikoles if he ever saw him again, and he had taken enough lives.   
The war was nothing like Rowan had ever experienced. Never had that much been blood been on his hands, granted it was black blood. It still itched at him, though, the fact that there were people in them. While he was saving Terrasen, he was ending human lives. Every night when he went to sleep he saw their faces, each one of them. He imagined what their families were like, were they good cooks, writers, soldiers? Who were they before they were corrupted by the Valg? Dorian told him every day that ending their lives was a mercy, the best thing he could have done for those men, and that was a small medicine for his ache. When he looked at the King of Adarlan, he saw the men he had slaughtered. What if no one gave Dorian a chance? What if his life was ended like so many like him? Rowan doubted he would ever forget the horrors of the war.   
The winding trail back to the castle was long and tiring. The male was a warrior who had one a million battles, but a walk with Cathryne nearly beat him to death.   
“So, what is Queen Aelin truly like? She is obviously as beautiful as the rumors claim, but is she as kind, cunning, loyal, lethal?”  
This was a topic he could handle, his Aelin. No, not your anything. “Yes indeed. She is exactly what the rumors claim her to be, and more.” She was cunning and lethal, but she was also loyal and caring. He had heard her tales as The King of Adarlan’s assassin, she could kill in a second, but she cared, too.   
“You seem to be very fond of Her Majesty, and she seems to like you very much as well.”  
“Yes, I am, she is a good friend of mine. She has been for quite some time.” The word burned his throat when he spits it out. Friend. That was the last thing he wanted to call his Queen. Lover, mate, wife were all acceptable names, but not friend. He never loved anyone in his life the way he loved Aelin, not even Lyria. When he realized that, it broke him. He had failed Lyria and it felt as though he was abondaning her, but he knew that could never be true, she would always be in his heart, right next to Aelin. He loved her, it was a burning, aching love, one that he doubted would ever be resolved. He would be left aching and burning for Aelin for all of eternity.


End file.
